So, how did you decide??

[Retired LTC USAR]

Bought an old desk which I am going to turn into a reloading bench. It's been 40 yrs since I reloaded, but I have the equipment that my father had.

So, how do you decide on brand of primers, powders and bulletts?

Should be interesting!

 

[TAROMAN]

I'll start this off.
Much of the choice depends on the caliber (or caliber's) you're loading, and the mission (target, hunting, SD) for which you will load.
In the current climate, whatever is available might be the only choice.

As for quality/function, most everything available is functional.

 

[glen_farmer]

how do you decide

My decision is based on availability, price, and purpose. I like to buy from local dealers where I can develop an association. And then there is the issue of accuracy. If great accuracy is required some bullets, powders, primers are better for certain guns than others.

I bet you are going to enjoy getting back into the reloading. What calibers are you thinking of?

 

[BigBill]

For my handguns;

Unique powder for my auto's and leadcast in my revolvers with standard primers.

2400 powder in all my magnum revolvers with magnum primers were it calls for them.

IMR4895 gun powder in my military semi auto rifles and CCI #34 nato primers for the floating firing pins. I use IMR4895 in all my bolt action military guns too so no mix up can happen with the CCI #34 primers.

IMR4350 powder in my 30-06.

I get my leadcast handgun bullets from Cast Bullets Home

 

[novalty]

I choose the components with the most "Tacticool" packaging.

 

[blujax01]

I can't tell you the number of times I have read "I have Brand "X" powder and Brand "Y" bullets and can't find a manual with this combination. Can anyone help me out? It seems stupid that they don't show this!"

The question I want to ask is: "Why did you buy this stuff and then look for an application? And why are you blaming the reloading manuals?"

It's like cooking. Find a recipe you're interested in then buy the ingredients.

 

[MichiganScott]

I decide of the best bullet for the intended purpose, then search the manuals for the load that seems to meet that purpose.

I hope to find a load that uses both powder and primers that I have on hand. Then I purchase the bullets, and powder also if needed, and do the load work.

 

[tappedandtagged]

Primers: I use CCI when I can since it seems most data in my books are listed with them. I used Federals in one gun that was giving light hammer strikes as Federl is supposed to have a softer cup. I got rid of that gun since then. I have used Winchesters as well and have been satisfied with them, although I don't care for the brass color.

Powders: I check my books, online data and the forums to find which powder is most widley used/liked for that particular cartridge. Then I see which of the powders are available locally. It seems that when reading on the forums, a single powder usually pops up consistently as an accurate and well performing powder for that cartridge.

Bullets: For plinking, my only concern is price. This usally means Missouri Bullet Co. Cast bullets. Just so happens my guns shoot them accurately. For my rifles, I try to find a bullet that has a track record (again to the forums) as a game getter for my intended target. Here, accuracy is a must as well, but it seems most any premium hunting bullet from a reputable manufacturer will be accurate. I also look to see which bullet data is most widely available for. So far I have used Hornady (pistol and rifle), MO Cast (pistol), Sierra (rifle), Nosler (rifle) and I just placed an oder for some Speer Deep Curls for my 30-30. I deviated from Sierra here as the DC's are bonded and I intend on going after large hogs with them. Speer also lists data on their website for these bullets as they came out after their last manual edition.

Thats how I choose. I spend a lot of time reseaching the powder/bullet choice. Probally over think it quite a bit, but it is my hobby and I enjoy reafing up on the stuff.

 

[ChuckS1]

Okay, here's my 2 cents.

Primers - get the least expensive. I use Wolf and Tula, because they're cheap. Never had a problem with them. Primers are all the same, for all practical purposes, assuming you're loading at sane pressure levels. I fired over 3,000 rounds of .45 ACP this past year in bullseye competition and practice and didn't have any primer issues that weren't directly attributable to me not seating them properly. Done right, they all went bang.

Powder - You only need two for any of the pistol cartridges and those are Bullseye and Unique. I might add 2400 if you're planning on full-house magnum loads, but otherwise Bullseye and Unique will fit your range of loads. Who cares if they're dirty? You clean your guns anyways.

Bullets - I cast my own. However, IMHO, if you're shooting at 50 yards and less, there's not a dime's worth of difference among any of the commercial casters' products. Buy the least expensive, assuming they're right for your particular guns. And don't get sucked into the hardness BS. Doesn't make a bit of difference how hard or soft the bullet is at normal pistol velocities. Slug your barrels and get bullets that are the right size (I like .001" over the bore diameter). And don't buy jacketed bullets unless your local range requires them. It's like throwing quarters down range.

Anyways, that's how I do it...

 

[rsrocket1]

Agree with the above posts.
While powder seems to be the most controversial and personal item, remember you aren't married to a particular powder, try a pound (or 14 ounces in the case of some Hodgdon powders) from your local gun store, you are only out $15-$22 and can get quite a bit of testing/shooting out of it especially if you're loading for a pistol. After that you can "commit" to a 4 or 8 pound jug.

Of course, if you are limited to mail order only, you are a bit more hamstrung. If local "seems" expensive, take into account shipping, hazmat, gun show parking and addmissions etc. when choosing where to buy.

 

[scattershot]

Depends on what you're loading, but if I had to go with one powder to get started, you can't do much better than Unique. An overriding concern these days is availability. If you find something that will work, stock up. I have heard varying reports on the Russian primers, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of the American made products. I like Winchester and CCI myself, but whatever you find will work.

 

[SMSgt]

Naturally I bought whatever primers, powder, and bullets my Speer #9 manual listed! I quickly found out primer brand made no difference, that many powders work equally, and that all bullet makers have something I want.

I only reload pistol rounds these days (9mm, 9mm Mak, .45 ACP) and have settled on HP-38, whatever primers the store has on the shelf, and order hard cast bullets.

 

[tappedandtagged]

Agree with the above posts.
While powder seems to be the most controversial and personal item, remember you aren't married to a particular powder, try a pound (or 14 ounces in the case of some Hodgdon powders) from your local gun store, you are only out $15-$22 and can get quite a bit of testing/shooting out of it especially if you're loading for a pistol. After that you can "commit" to a 4 or 8 pound jug.

Of course, if you are limited to mail order only, you are a bit more hamstrung. If local "seems" expensive, take into account shipping, hazmat, gun show parking and addmissions etc. when choosing where to buy.

$30 a pound no matter what powder at the local mom and pop reloading store.... I wish I fould get a pound for $15-22! For the limited reloading I do, it usually doesn't benefit me much to buy in 8lb jugs, although I have occassionally.

 

[ACP230]

When I started the gun store in the little town I lived outside of had CCI
primers and Bullseye powder. I used that combo to make .38 Specials
for a few years. Just made a load that was the same except for
Winchester primers.

I got a screaming deal on Remington primers just before one of the primer panics. Used them for a while even after he
had left office.

Have some Tula primers on hand now, along with Federals, and my
usual these days, Winchesters.

 

[kwselke]

I had been saving commercial brass for a couple of years before I started reloading, so I had an assortment of commercial brands to start with.

I had a friend that had been reloading for a decade when I set up my bench. He advised me about a lot of things regarding equipment, loading procedures, and components. The Sierra loading manuals of the day also had a tremendous influence on me.

Price and availability of components had a great effect on what I would load. I remember buying 200 rounds of a bankrupt Canadian company's (Imperial) un-primed .308 brass for half of what any other .308 brass went for at the time. Today I cherish that brass and only neck-size it for specific rifles.

I guess I asked for advice, read good manuals, experimented within budgetary constrains, and settled into loads that consistently work well from my guns.

Part of the allure of hand loading is loading for your own guns and finding loads that work beautifully in them.

 

[Skip Sackett]

First, here is how to decide: What is available locally and, are they knowledgable and helpful there? Secondly, is there a different store that is just a tad further away that meets the criteria if the first one doesn't. Thirdly, my club/range/friends......what do they have and use? They can be some hands on help should things get out of hand!

Then, Internet sales. Buy enough to make the hazmat bearable. If you have the money, most supply houses ship in quantities of 40,000 primers under one hazmat fee. Some wave the hazmat if you buy enough. $27.50 spread over 5,000 adds more cost per primer than that same $27.50 over 10,000-40,000. See if there is someone locally that you can pool your purchases with and come out further ahead than you would by yourself.


Never used Tula, tons of Wolf though with nary a problem. If you have light triggers or hammer falls, you may want to stick with Federals. After that, they are all about the same.

Hope this helps.

 

[Frank46]

Excellent question.When living in New York remington primers were all that I ever used except the CCI large magnum primer using IMR 4350 in any of my 06's. here in Louisiana its winchester primers as I usually don't see many for sale. Far as powders are concerned for a lot of cast bullet shooting in my military rifles IMR4759 usually, Reduced jacketed loads IMR 4895. Using the last of an 8ld jug IMR 4350 in my sako 75 '06. 45 auto winchester super target. Started with this a bunch of years ago and never saw any reason to change. Frank

 

[jimkim]

When I started, there was only one local store selling components. I either had to order my own supplies, or drive 45 miles if I wanted something different. The owner only sold what he used.

He sold six pistol powders. Red Dot, Green Dot(RD and GD were sold for shotgun), W231, W296, Unique, and Blue Dot, and three rifle powders, W748, IMR-4895, and IMR-4350. For primers he would switch from CCI to Win, with the occasional sleeve of Federal SP or Remington SR primers. I'm guessing he had a specific recipe or someone ordered them and didn't pick them up.

 

[TexasRider]

All good answers.

One way is to choose based on what the bullet is designed to do and what you want to do. A target paper puncher is going to be different than something to stop a Cape Buffalo.

Another way is to choose bullets that you have had success with now in factory loadings and get the current reloading manuals and have a look at what might get you there or near there.

Finally is what works with the equipment you have. Ball powders work well in powder measures so for something like volume loading of handguns it makes some sense. For stick style powders are you going to manually weigh them, or do you have something like the RCBS Chargemaster.

For small rifle I say CCI primers. For a bolt small rifle that might see higher pressures then the Remington as it has stroner cups. For magnum loads in rifles, I say the Federal Gold Match primers. And for a progressive press, or handguns, then the Winchester or the CCI. Federals are a little larger and may not run as well.

As for brass, the Remington is generally a bit thicker and holds less volume. It generally doesnt matter. For me I want the Wicnhester brass and it is thinner but tougher. And I know which mine are. If it says anything other than Winchester then I know it is not mine and chunk it. Well for most guns anyway.

 

[dickttx]

A couple of years ago I started reloading again after about a 40 year layoff. Looking at my old supplies I found I had over twenty different powders, most only slightly used. I reviewed all the load data I could find, for the handguns I was going to be shooting and found that a very common powder for all of them was HP38/231. I bought a pound locally, at a very high price, and tried it in all my calibers. It gave satisfactory results in all. Not so good in some and excellent on others.
When that pound was gone, I ordered an 8# jug of HP38 and 10K primers from Powder Valley. Like 8/8.5gn of Unique, 5/5.5 grains of HP38 will work in about anything and 10K of primers will pretty much use up 8# of HP38.
HP38 and 231 are the same powder but HP38 is always $1 per pound ($8 per jug) cheaper than the Winchester label 231. By ordering from PV I saved over $200 from local prices.
I don't have to worry about which powder is in my measure or on my bench. It is always going to be the same one. At my skill level it really doesn't make any difference that it may not be the best for 357 or 41 Magnum. It still lands in my pond dam when I pull the trigger.